It’s that time of the year again. The winter seems endless; the days appear locked into a trance of cold winds, semolina skies and cheerless suns. Yet despite this, nominations for the George Orwell Prize for Early Signs of Spring are already being taken. Here are a few of my suggestions. The ever faithful hawthorn. At first glance February hawthorns seem lifeless, but closer inspection reveals daubs of red in the swelling bud. These will fan into the first flames of spring. Then there’s the ivy. The ivy berries, ripening now, are a vital part of nature’s late winter/early spring economy, providing nourishment for birds and mice just when the larder is empty. An even more unobtrusive candidate for the award is the aptly named spring usher moth. As delicately dabbled as t